Morris e



(No Model.)

M. E. BURK.

' HOLDBAGK FOR VEHICLES.

No. 403,036. Patented May '7, 1889.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS E. BURK, OF LOIVVILLE, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF TWVO-FIFTHS TOFRANK C. BOIVDISH, OF SAME PLACE.

HOLDBACK'FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,086, dated May 7,1889.

Application filed January 30, 1889. Serial No. 298,072. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MORRIs E. BURK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lowville, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Holdbacks forVehicle-Thins; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and 'use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inholdbacks for vehicles of that class in which there is a hook and apivoted tongue; and it has for its objects to improve upon priorconstructions of this character, to render the same more durable andefficient in operation, and to provide a device of this class that maybe employed either 011 the top or upon the under side of the thill, andone that in either position will be self-adjusting.

To the above ends, and to -such others as the invention may pertain, thesame consists in the peculiarities of construction and in the novelcombination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more f ullyhereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and particularly definedin the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which* Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved device shown attached to a thill, a portion only of which isshown. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the holdbackdetached.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout both views.

Reference being had to the details of the drawings by letter, Adesignates my improved holdback as a whole. In Fig. 1 it is shown asattached to a portion, I3, of a thill of ordinary construction.

The holdback A consists of the plate a, rectangular, as shown, andprovided at each end with a hole, a", to receive screws a or otherintegral with this plate to one side of the center is the hook O,enlarged at its base and curved, as shown, forming more than one-half ofa circle, that portion of the base of the hook upon the side nearest thecenter being curved, and forming a continuation of the curve of the hookupon the inside. That portion of the plate a beneath the hook is alsocurved, as shown at c, said curvature being in the same are of a circleas the hook and the curved portion of the base thereof. The end of thehook terminates in a flat horizontal bearing, as shown at d. Upon theopposite side of the center of the plate is formed the enlargement D,which is provided with an opening, 6, communicating with the recess orchamber, 1), in the plate a, heretofore referred to.

F is a flat spring located within. the chamber b in the plate a, andsecured therein in the usual manner by means of a screw or rivet, f.

G is the tongue, pivoted within the chamber 19, or, rather, within theenlargement D,

by means of the transverse pin or pivot g, removably secured in the sideWalls of the said enlargement. The lower end of the tongue is largerthan the opening in the enlargement, and is inserted in place from theunder side, by which construction in case the pivot thereof should breakthe tongue cannot be pulled out. The lower face of this tongue isbroadened and made flat, and has a flat bearing on the spring F, theupper end of the tongue being flat, as shown.

The operation is simple and apparent.

The tongue will work in either direction, being held in its adjustedposition by means of the broad bearing of its lower end on the spring. v

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a holdback, the combination, with the plate a, chambered, asshown, and formed with the curved hook O, of the spring within theportion a, and the tongue pivoted to the walls of the chamber, with itsinner end bear ing on the spring, and the portions of said tongue uponboth sides of its pivot extending in the same general line,substantially as shown and described.

2. The holdback described, consisting of the plate a, chambered, asshown, and formed with the curved hook C, forming more than one-half ofa circle, with the portion of the base of the hook upon the side nearestthe center curved and forming a continuation of the curve of the hookupon the inside, as shown, and the end of the hook terminating in a flatbearing, the spring F, and the tongue In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in 20 presence of two witnesses.

MORRIS E. BURK.

Witnesses:

GEORGE SHERWOOD, FRANK G. BOWDISH.

